Halladay Likely Heading Toward Memorable Season

Practically everyone had predicted before this season that Roy Halladay would win over 20 games and be the unanimous Cy Young award winner in the National League. Many times, predictions such as these don't pan out. Not to worry, this one will.

The Philadelphia Phillies' ace is already 4-0 with a miniscule .82 ERA. He also has two complete games. Whoever has him on their fantasy team, you are going to have a hell of a time every fifth day. I will admit that I thought being in a smaller ballpark might affect the former Blue Jay right-hander, but I was way off. He has been unstoppable and might have the best year a pitcher has had in a very very long time. We are talking about maybe putting up Bob Gibson-like numbers (1.12 ERA in 1968).

Now the rules and ballparks favor the hitters more than they did back in 1968, but it looks as though Halladay could have an ERA in the 1-2 range. Looking at what he has done so far, it is certainly a possiblity. Maybe he doesn't match Gibson's legendary season, but something similar to Dwight Gooden's 1985 season is realistic (24-4 1.53ERA). I don't know what I was thinking. He is a sinkerball pitcher so ballpark size wouldn't have much of an effect on him anyway. For a pitcher to dominate the Yankees and Red Sox and then switch to the National League, it can only equal success.

We can't forget the team he plays for too! The Phillies are hands down the best team in the National League. Even on an off day, Halladay more than likely will pick up the win just because the offense has his back. The general manager got some criticism for not keeping Cliff Lee as well. How's that working out so far?

I am eager to see how Halladay's season will shape up with some of the best that have occurred over the past 35-40 years. Barring any injury, nothing should get in the way of Doc delivering pitch after pitch, resulting in win after win.

Shawn Marosek

HALLADAY TRADE WILL NOT IMPROVE PHILLIES

On Monday, the news broke that the two-time defending National League champions, Philadelphia Phillies, were about to pull off a trade for Blue Jays ace, Roy Halladay. When I first heard the news, I figured you could just hand the Phillies the 2010 World Series crown now. Along with the NL's best offense by a mile, Halladay-Cliff Lee-Cole Hamels would be an almost unbeatable top 3 in their rotation.

But then I heard the complete breakdown of the deal. Cliff Lee was going to Seattle (how sick are they going to be with Felix Hernandez and Lee as their 1,2?) as part of a three-way agreement between the Phillies, Blue Jays and Mariners. Now I had to wonder if the Phillies were really an improved team with Halladay over Lee. I understand why this makes sense from a management position as the Phillies will have Halladay the next four years opposed to running the risk of only having Lee for 2010. The move also keeps Halladay from being traded to the division rival Mets in a lesser, desperate move by the Jays brass. However, while this may be a good economic/strategic move, it is certainly not a game changing on the field move.

By dumping Lee, the Phillies lose the pitcher who was untouchable down the stretch and in the postseason. Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in the playoffs. Is there any guarantee Halladay will be as good as that? I can't dispute Halladay has had the better career, but he has never pitched a big game in his life. In fact, Halladay struggled in mid-season when he admittedly felt the pressure from all the trade talk circulating around him. He has been a Yankee and Red Sox killer, but is there any pressure in pitching against them when you are 10-20 games behind them in August? Lee on the other hand fit in with the Phillies winning culture right away. He was unbelievable. Halladay will be an ace, but it will be hard pressed for him to be better than Lee in the big spot. He will have to better Lee's complete-game, 10 strikeout performance if the Phillies make it back to the World Series.

With all that said, I do think Halladay will be a slightly better in the regular season. But even if you think he will be much better, the Phillies will still have the same question marks they did before this move went down. They need Cole Hamels to revert back to his 2008 self. If this doesn't happen, the Phillies will continue to have a serious lack of depth in their rotation. If Hamels doesn't bounce back, who else can they count on? Maybe J.A. Happ, but they won't get much from Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer or even Pedro Martinez. They also haven't done anything to sure up their bullpen. If they don't, they will have to pray Brad Lidge and Ryan Madson revert back to their 2008 selves. Halladay doesn't solve those issues.

In my opinion, they are the same team today that they were a week ago, but without the assurance their ace will be a stud postseason performer. I wasn't opposed to them getting Halladay and signing him to an extension for some security, but why couldn't they keep Lee for 2010 too? Lee is set to only make $9 million next season. That's an absolute steal and with the team they have, they should have made a run with those two aces together. Then if Lee left for a bigger contract somewhere else after 2010 then so be it. So those who think the Phillies made a great move here, think again.

Pat Morgan

WORLD SERIES BREAKDOWN: A METS FAN'S WORST NIGHTMARE

Tonight the most anticipated World Series in years will begin in the Bronx as the New York Yankees host the defending champion, Philadelphia Phillies. It isn't often that the World Series includes the two best teams in baseball, but that is the case this year. The Phillies feature an even better team that won the whole thing last year, and the Yankees showcase a team led by Alex Rodriguez who has finally put his postseason demons aside.

Here is my breakdown and prediction for the 105th edition of the Fall Classic:

Offense- Not many teams can say they have an offense on the level of the Yankees, but the Phillies can say just that. Of course you've heard of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollings, but their "role" players feature individuals who would be stars on other teams like Raul Ibanez, Jayson Werth and Shane Victorino. Even catcher, Carlos Ruiz, has been a clutch performer in the last two postseasons. With that said, the Yankees have the hottest player on the planet in A-Rod. A-Rod should have been the ALCS MVP and has started to get Barry Bonds treatment. Mark Teixeira has been ice cold, but showed signs of heating up toward the end of the Angels series. He will play an impact in the World Series. And did I forget to mention Jeter, Damon, Matsui, Posada and Cano? Edge: Even

Bench- The Phillies don't have much on the pine, and in the AL park they'll insert either Ben Francisco or Matt Stairs into the lineup. The Yankees have added Eric Hinske back to the roster to go with Brett Gardner for speed, Jerry Hairston, and then they'll have Matsui on the pine when the series goes back to Philly. Edge: Yankees

Defense- You've heard about the Yankees powerful infield, but they are just as good with the glove. Everyone has seen the plays Jeter has made in the playoffs, but how about the glove of Teixeira? He didn't hit in the AL playoffs, but his glove may have won the Yankees a couple of games. He seems to have a gravitational pull in any inning where the opposition is threatening. Cano has tremendous range, and outside catching popups, A-Rod is as good as they get at third base. Their outfield is suspect and expect Girardi to use defensive replacements should the Yankees lead late. The Phillies boast a pretty good defense as well, and they might be better in the outfield than the Yankees. However, they have a couple of flaws. Utley has had trouble throwing the ball to first base, and even though Howard has improved big time at first, he is no Mark Teixeira. Edge: Yankees

Starting Pitching- The CC Sabathia/Cliff Lee matchup in Game 1 is perhaps one of the best matchups in recent World Series memories. They have both performed like top flight aces as they certainly are. I would say in normal situations that the Phillies have the next best starter in Cole Hamels, but he is having a big-time off year. Therefore, the next best pitcher is Andy Pettitte. He has been huge this postseason. Then it is anyone's guess with A.J. Burnett and Hamels. I'm worried about Pedro Martinez in Game 2 for the Phillies. I know Charlie Manuel is banking on his experience, but I would have started lefty J.A. Happ. The Yankees rotation is clearly deeper and they have the one starter who has proven he can pitch well on short rest in Sabathia. Edge: Yankees

Relief Pitching- Mariano... enough said? Everyone else in both pens are major wildcards. Edge: Yankees

Manager- I have never been a fan of Charlie Manuel, but give him credit for creating an atmosphere that has allowed his Phillies to be successful. Other than that, I have always scratched my head at some of the moves he's made. Joe Girardi on the other hand has had a questionable postseason. I think critics have been too tough on him as most of his moves have worked. I was puzzled by Alfredo Aveces in Game 2 vs. the Angels, and his pinch-running of A-Rod in Game 5. I think Girardi is the better manager, but I think Manuel has a better feel for his team at the moment. Edge: Even

Intangibles- Now, I've given all the edges to the Yankees, but other than in the bullpen they are slight, slight edges. The Phillies are a damn good team that has found ways to win this entire postseason. Whether it was Game 4 vs. Colorado or Game 4 vs. Los Angeles, this team is NEVER out of a game. On the other hand, the Yankees have an extra home game and have already developed some magic in their new park. They simply don't lose there. However, I think since this Phillies team has won and is such a cohesive group, I will give them the edge here. Edge: Phillies

Pick- Phillies in 7; It is hard to see the Yankees losing a clinching game in their building, but if any team can do it it is Philadelphia. I will pick the champs to repeat!

MVP- Jayson Werth

Pat Morgan

I THOUGHT IT COULDN'T GET ANY WORSE FOR THE METS

Eric Brunlett records only the 15th unassisted triple play in baseball history to end today's game vs. the Mets. What a freaky play! Sorry Shawn.

LEE DELIVERING BIG TIME FOR THE REIGNING CHAMPS

Coming into the season there weren't many who took Cliff Lee's AL Cy Young season last year seriously. Despite going an astounding 22-3 with a minuscule 2.54 ERA, people had Lee ranked way down the list of baseball's starting pitchers. The group of people that did not respect Lee included just about everyone from baseball insiders to the average fantasy junkies. I know he went dirt cheap in my fantasy league.

That group of people who doubted Lee's abilities included myself. I thought he could be a low-end #2 or a pretty good #3 on someone's staff, but I did not see him coming close to duplicating his 2008 performance. Well, for the first month of the season, we were all thought we were right. Lee was 1-3 with an ERA over 5. He helped me win my fantasy league last year, but I was sure glad I avoided him this year!

Then, Lee starting turning his season around. His win-loss record stayed bad because the Cleveland Indians did not score him many runs, but he kept grinding and grinding and got his ERA under 3 for awhile. This is when I started to take a favorable notice. Lee could have clearly said the heck with it this season and really had a terrible year. He was pitching great, but he kept losing because of the inept Indian offense. On June 14th, when Lee shutout the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball, I realized that this guy was indeed an ace.

When the Philadelphia Phillies gave up their pursuit of Roy Halladay, they turned to Lee. The Phillies absolutely fleeced the Indians in that deal. They got him without giving up J.A. Happ, Kyle Drabek or any other of their top prospects. I don't know how the Phillies did it, but they did, and Lee has been the absolute perfect fit for them. He is 4-0 with two complete games and a dental floss thin 0.82 ERA since heading over to the Phillies. I love Halladay, but there is no way he could be doing a better job than Lee in this situation. Mark Shapiro, the Indians' GM, should be fired immediately for that trade.

When this season began there were quite a few pitchers I would have taken ahead of Lee, but at this moment, I can't think of too many. I guess you would take Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, and maybe a couple others, but the list is short. I was wrong, Lee is really, really good! What a deal for the Phillies! With Lee, the Phillies have an excellent chance to repeat as World Series champions. Now if they can get Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge back in order, they might be unbeatable. They have a tremendous offense, a deep rotation, and a team that just raises its game in the biggest of spots. Heck, I'll say it, the Phillies will repeat as World Series champions.

Pat Morgan

DODGERS/PHILLIES NLCS BREAKDOWN

Starting Lineup - Phillies; Philadelphia matches up against the Dodgers pitching much better than the Cubs did in the NLDS. Unlike the Cubs, the Phillies big boppers are lefties. I expect Ryan Howard to have a big series with Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley setting the table. I like the depth of the Phillies lineup better as well. Shane Victorino and Jayson Werth were perhaps the two most influential hitters against Milwaukee. If Pat Burrell builds on the two homers he hit in the series clincher in the previous round, the Phillies offense will be very tough to handle. We all know Manny Ramirez is the single greatest threat in this series, but I think the most important hitter for the Dodgers is Rafael Furcal. If he can get on base regularly, it will mean that the Phillies will have to pitch to Manny more than they'd like. They will need Andre Either and Matt Kemp to pick it up otherwise the backend of the Dodgers lineup will be easy to tame. I give the Phillies the edge though based on their balanced and much deeper lineup.

Bench - Dodgers; Neither team has a particularly strong bench, but I'll give the slight edge to LA. They have Jeff Kent who is probably the best hitter off the bench for either team. Juan Pierre can come in and manufacture a run if they need it late in a game. The Phillies best bats off the bench are Matt Stairs and So Taguchi. Neither team will scare you with a hidden bat late in a game though.

Starting Pitching - Phillies; Cole Hamels is the best pitcher on either side, but this is a very close category. If Derek Lowe can continue his good run of pitching and somehow steal Game 1, the Dodgers might have the edge the rest of the way. Chad Billingsley is an exceptional pitcher and the Game 2 matchup with Brett Myers will be very compelling. I expect Hamels to deliver Game 1, so Billingsley would hold the future of the series in his hands. To me, Myers is a huge wildcard in this series. He is certainly capable of tossing eight, one-run innings, but on the flip side, he could be chased in the third inning. I expect he'll pitch well, but I don't say that with much confidence. Hiroki Kuroda gets the edge in my book over Jamie Moyer in Game 3, and Joe Blanton gets the edge at the moment over a probable Greg Maddux in Game 4.

Bullpen - Even; I want to give a very slight edge to Philadelphia because they have the perfect Brad Lidge, but after seeing him struggle mightily in Game 1 vs. Milwaukee, I don't share the same confidence in him as most probably do. However, this series sees two teams with very good bullpens. In what I thought was a smart move, the Dodgers left Takashi Saito off the roster and will rely on Jonathan Broxton to be the closer. Saito isn't 100%, so go with the guy who can throw 101. The Dodgers get lefty Hong-Chih Kuo back which is huge because I expect to see him against the heart of the Phillies order in several key, late-inning situations. As I said I'm slightly nervous about Lidge, but until he blows a save he is still someone you want out there. The Phillies have great setup men also, and if these games go to the bullpens, we should see some really good baseball.

Defense - Dodgers; Both teams are strong with the glove, but the Dodgers have some strong outfield arms and a good defensive catcher and first baseman. The Phillies do have the edge up the middle in Rollins and Utley. I give the edge to the Dodgers because I think they are closer at the positions they are behind Philly at than visa versa. If Furcal is truly healthy, he is a terrific shortstop. I don't see either team losing with the glove though unless the ball is hit to Manny or Howard.

Manager - Dodgers; There could not be more of a contrast here. Joe Torre will probably be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee when they vote, and Charlie Manuel, well is Charlie Manuel. The longer this series goes, Torre's leadership could prove to be a big difference over Manuel.

Pick - Philadelphia in 7; This was a very tough pick for me to make though, but the Phillies are a much different animal for LA to handle than the Cubs were. Their left-handed stars will be much tougher to deal with than the predominately right handed Cubs lineup. Hamels is a big advantage as well especially after his dominant performance against Milwaukee in the NLDS. However, I can definitely see this series turn the other way. The Dodgers have a lot of things going for them right now and it is sometimes hard to ignore good karma. A perfect example would be the Rockies from last year. This series is a true toss up, and if anything is a difference, the home team was 8-0 in their head-to-head matchups this year.

Pat Morgan

MYERS "PHIL" THY IN GAME 2 WIN

Brett Myers pitched great in Philadelphia's NLDS Game 2 victory, but his key at bat in the second inning was even more important.

With two outs and a runner on third in a 1-1 ballgame, Myers battled at the plate against Milwaukee starter C.C. Sabathia. He fouled off several pitches and eventually coaxed a walk. The crowd cheered every time Myers made contact, and it erupted when he finally reached first base. The base on balls prolonged the inning and Jimmy Rollins soon followed with a walk of his own. With the bases loaded, Shane Victorino connected for a grand slam to left field and the Phillies never looked back. They now have a 2-0 lead in the best of five series.

Myers was superb on the mound. He gave up two hits, two earned runs and struck out four over seven innings of work. After allowing a run in the first inning, Myers was able to get out of a bases loaded jam by inducing a double play to limit the damage. Milwaukee would squeak across another run in the seventh, but it was too little to late for the Brew Crew.

Sabathia on the other hand, was not sharp at all. Going on three days rest yet again, the soon to be free agent lasted only 3 2/3 innings, a far cry from what he's done over the past three months with the Brewers. He has arguably been the best pitcher in baseball since he was traded to Milwaukee in early July, but it wasn't working for him on this day. Sabathia allowed five earned runs on five hits, while walking four. He hadn't given up more than four earned runs in a game as a member of the Brewers before this start.

Myers, who was demoted to the minors during the year to work on his mechanics., has pitched very well since his return to the majors. After Cole Hamels dominated the Brewers in Game 1, Myers didn't disappoint in Game 2. The fans of Philadelphia were certainly thrilled with this outing.

Shawn Marosek

NLDS Breakdowns and Predictions

Milwaukee Brewers (NL Wildcard) vs. Philadelphia Phillies (NL East)

Starting Lineup - Phillies; Say what you want about Ryan Howard's .250 batting average, the man was the most clutch performer in the month of September. If you go strickly by the numbers, it will be hard to vote against Albert Pujols for the MVP, but Howard probably gets it based on his 11 HRs and 32 RBIs over the final month. Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins have had better years, but they are MVP type players who are very, very gutty. The Brewers have a good, young lineup as well. Ryan Braun bursted out of a late season funk with two GIANT homeruns over the final week. Prince Fielder had some real big hits as well, and you cannot ignore Corey Hart and J.J. Hardy. This should be a fun matchup, but I give a slight edge to Philly's lineup based on a little more depth and experience. They definitely could use the re-awakening of Pat Burrell's bat though. He hasn't been that good since his stellar first half.

Bench - Brewers; I'll take the likes of Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall to potentially come in the game late and spank one out of the yard over the Matt Stairs led Phillies. The Brewers also have a professional hitter in Gabe Kapler who can come off the bench.

Starting Pitching - Phillies; The Phillies have the deeper rotation and the Brewers have CC Sabathia. I almost declared a draw for this category based on Sabathia's historic second half, but I will go with the Phillies depth. I would have given this category to Milwaukee had Ben Sheets been healthy. The Brewers MUST win Sabathia's two outings and hope they can steal one of the other games. Yovani Gallardo will start Game 1 for the Brewers, and while he's a great young prospect, he hasn't pitched much all year due to injuries. Cole Hamels didn't have a strong season for his standards, and has been so-so for about a month. Brett Myers had been pitching his best ball this season until giving up 14 earned runs over his last two outings. Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer are advantages in the other games unless Jeff Suppan can rekindle old postseason magic.

Bullpen - Phillies; Without a doubt the largest advantage for either team in this series. Brad Lidge has been spectacular this season in converting all 41 of his save opportunities. Chad Durbin, J.C. Romero and Ryan Madson have all been outstanding as well. On the flip side, the Brewers have been holding their breath every time Salomon Torres takes the mound in the 9th. He's been good for his standards this year, but the cracks are starting to show. Then you have the lovable Eric Gagne in the 8th. Maybe compared to the Mets bullpen the Brewers aren't so bad, but they hardly stack up with Philadelphia. Brian Shouse is their best reliever and he's just a lefty specialist.

Defense - Phillies; Before looking at the stats, I thought I was going to see another big advantage for Philly, but the difference isn't as stark as you might think. I will go with my gut and give Philly a slight edge though. I've seen them make several great plays late in games. Lidge would not have been perfect without some key defense on occassion. I've seen the Brewers make bad plays at the wrong time too. I won't kill Milwaukee though because the key defensive stats are very close.

Manager - Neither; Charlie Manuel is a terrible manager and Dale Sveum is only in his third week on the job. No opinion here.

Pick - Philadelphia in 4; The Brewers rotation is in shambles right now without Sheets, and even Sabathia will have to throw on short rest in Game 2. The Phillies bullpen is a big factor, and I think they will have a bit of a chip on their shoulders from last year's quick exit to Colorado.

Los Angeles Dodgers (NL West) vs. Chicago Cubs (NL Central)

Starting Lineup - Cubs; Manny Ramirez can blow up this assessment, but the Cubs have a much deeper lineup. The Cubs have a great blend of stars like Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee and major role players like Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot. As stated in my last post, if the Cubs get a hot Alfonso Soriano they will be very tough to beat. You can almost flip a coin on how he will perform this postseason. The Dodgers do have a better lineup than the average fan would think though. Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and others are playing their best ball of the season. This isn't the same team the Cubs held to a combined 18 runs in 7 head-to-head matchups this season. And obviously they didn't have a player who has hit nearly .400 with 17 HRs and 53 RBI in 53 games since coming from Boston at the trade deadline. That team in May had doughnut connoisseur, Andruw Jones.

Bench - Cubs; No one can match the depth of the Cubs this postseason. Mike Fontenot, Reed Johnson/Jim Edmonds, Micah Hoffpauir, and even backup catcher Henry Blanco are all threats with the stick. The best Dodger off the pine is probably Juan Pierre, and he'll probably be used to steal a base late in a close game.

Starting Rotation - Cubs; This pick is contingent upon Carlos Zambrano or Rich Harden giving a quality effort in their start. Even if one struggles, I believe the Cubs still have enough to get by. It is a major concern that Zambrano has had an over 7 ERA since August 1st and that Rich Harden only threw 17 innings in September. That puts a lot of pressure on Ryan Dempster to win Game 1 and Ted Lilly later in the series to continue his dominance of late. The Dodgers will start Derek Lowe in Game 1 who had an excellent September. We know of his postseason record, so he was a good choice over Chad Billingsley for the first game. After Billingsley, the Dodgers have nothing, and you may see them start Lowe on short rest in Game 4. The Cubs have the edge here, but with their concerns with Zambrano and Harden lately it was a big break they didn't have to face Johan Santana and the Mets.

Bullpen - Cubs; This would have been a lot tougher for me to choose had Hong-Chih Kuo not been scratched from this series with a potential blood clot. He had been one of the best kept secrets in the National League in the second half. The Dodgers do have closer Takashi Saito back which will allow them more flexibility with Jonathan Broxton. Joe Beimel is a dominant lefty as well. However the Cubs hit lefties better than most teams do, so it sort of negates the Dodgers strength to matchup with the pen. While the Cubs don't have a lockdown bullpen, they do have a very solid pen for the first time in a very long time. Carlos Marmol is simply fantastic. Kerry Wood has done a fabulous job in the pen. Jeff Samardzija has nasty stuff as well. The reason this pen is not a lockdown one is that they all can get wild. Walks in big spots are a concern, and Wood is among the lead leaders in hit batsman. I give the edge to the Cubs because of their nasty stuff and the Dodgers lack of Kuo. However, these games will be very compelling if they go to the bullpen.

Defense - Dodgers; Cue the clown music as it should be fun to watch the epic left field matchup between Manny Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano. Two-thirds of the Dodgers outfield is very good though. Kemp and Ethier were among the league leaders in outfield assists. Russell Martin is very special behind the dish and James Loney is solid at first as well. If they have any weak areas it could be up the middle with Rafael Furcal who has just returned from back surgery and Jeff Kent who is breaking down due to old age. The Cubs defense is much improved from years' pasts, but the Dodgers have a special thing going.

Manager - Even; A great matchup between two of the best managers in baseball history. Should be fun to watch Lou and Joe square off. I really can't give an edge as their styles are so contrasting, but so very effective. We'll let the series decide who's better.

Pick - Chicago in 4; I am tempted to be bold and pick the Cubs in 3, but with the SP concerns, I'll give the Dodgers a game. The Dodgers have had a nice September, but I think the Cubs really outmatch them in every area of the game. This pick can certainly be blown up because Manny Ramirez can certainly put the Dodgers on his back and create a long series.

Pat Morgan